1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supporting structure for the instrument panel of a motor vehicle wherein an instrument panel made from a synthetic resin is supported by a reinforcing member whose opposite ends are linked to the right and left front pillars of the vehicle body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When the head of an occupant collides with the upper surface of the instrument panel due to an accident in which the vehicle is involved in a collision, in order to prevent a large impact from being applied to the head of the occupant caused by a reinforcing member supporting the instrument panel inhibiting deformation of the instrument panel, a large buffer space for allowing a sufficient level of deformation of the instrument panel is generally formed between the reinforcing member and the instrument panel (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-2104).
However, such formation of a large buffer space between the reinforcing member and the instrument panel makes it impossible to place the reinforcing member and the instrument panel close to each other, thus leading to preventing the dimensions of the vehicle interior from being enlarged.